In the context of the hours rules as currently written, though, there was another oversight I imagine might well ring a hopeful little bell in your brain. As Rich Wilson asked — Why, right there in the description of driver responsibilities for medical certifications in state forms such as this one, does the old sleeper split seem to still be in effect? Check out the parenthetical description of team driving, and I quote: “drivers share the driving by alternating their 5-hour driving period and 5-hour rest periods.”

If only, eh? The latest on the recent hours revisions is that the American Trucking Associations delivered a valentine February 14 to FMCSA requesting court review of the new rules. ATA’s president, Bill Graves, said this: “The rules that have been in place since 2004 have contributed to unprecedented improvement in highway safety. The law is clear about what steps FMCSA must undertake to change the rules and we cannot allow this rulemaking, which was fueled by changed assumptions and analyses that do not meet the required legal standards, to remain unchallenged.”

Doesn’t exactly argue for the old split-sleeper rule, does he? In any case, if you haven’t gotten a handle on what the new rule actually would require, check out my brief feature on it in this month’s Overdrive.

I’ll be joining Wilson on the Truth About Trucking online radio show tonight at 7 p.m. EST. It’s likely the hours rule will come up, but primarily we’ll be discussing the MCSAC’s recent meeting and recommendations to the FMCSA on the regulation of sleep apnea as well as how exactly to address the issue of electronic logs being used to harass drivers (in both cases, the agency has expressed intent to pursue new rulemaking).

Todd Dills

Todd Dills is Senior Editor of Overdrive magazine and writes from Nashville, Tenn. He frequently covers business, regulatory and lifestyle topics for the magazine and at OverdriveOnline.com. His work on the “CSA’s Data Trail” series in Overdrive about the federal CSA program was awarded the highest honor in trade journalism – the “Grand Neal” – by American Business Media at the 2014 Jesse H. Neal Awards. Dills’ Channel 19 blog covers a grab bag of on-highway hearsay, owner-operator news and driver views from the roadways the nation over. His work in trucking journalism builds on a background of news feature, fiction and other creative writing and editing. Find him here at the Channel 19 blog and via his Twitter feed, or send tips to tdills@randallreilly.com or via phone at 205-907-2481.